Attachment for sewing machines



Jan. 13, 1953 R. H. E-CKARDT 2,625,127

ATTACHMENT FORVSEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1951 Rudolf H. Eclrardf I N V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 C ims,

The present, invention relates to improvements. in sewing machines: and more particularly: to.

an attachment which is adapted to be mounted on conventional sewing machines for use in feeding tape or ribbon to the work piece.

An object of the present invention is to; pro:v

vide a taping attachment for conventional sewing machines whereby the tape fed from a roller sup: ply passes through a novel guide means to a spindle rotatably carried by a bracket on the head of the sewing machine with resilient fI'iC-J- tion means engageable with the tape on the cylindrical portion of the spindle for tensioning the tape fed to the work piece.

Anotherobject of. the present invention resides in the novel means for adjusting the frictional engagement between the spring means and the cylindrical portion of the spindle over which the tape passes.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of longitudinal; serrations in the cylindrical portion of the spindle whereby the tape may be frictionally engaged thereby for rotation therewith.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is clearly illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is; a perspective view showingasubstantiallyconventional rollerfeed for tape withthe taping attachment mounted on a bracket supported by the head of the sewing machine for adjusting the tensioning of the tape fed to the work piece positioned on the needle plate of the sewing machine;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the taping attachment of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the taping attachment, showing the side opposite from that of Figure 2 with parts of the spindle in section.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral designates generally a substantially conventional supporting attachment for a tape feed roller l2, while the numeral l4 designates generally the conventional sewing machine with which the taping attachment l6 of the present invention is associated.

The sewing machine l4 has a bracket of angulated form l8 supported thereby with the supporting means Ill having its lower end secured to the bracket 18 by means of the bolts 22. The upper end of the supporting rod ID has an angulated' port-ion 24 on which the roller spindle 261 rotatably carried, the spindle 26 having tape ef: conventional form wound thereon. A ring; 36 having an adjusting screw 32 extending there,- through is received on the portion 24 of the rods l6 and is adapted to abut the boss 34 of the spindle 26 at one end. A similar arrangement is pro.- vided on the opposite end of the spindle 26 where: by the two collars 36 may frictionally engage the.

- bosses 34 at each end of the spindle 26: for con:

trolling the feed of tape 28' from the spindle 26.

The taping attachment I6 is. comprised of a bracket 36 having a main body portion 38, an arcuated' tongue 40 at its lower end, and an.

- angularly extending arm 42 integral: therewith.

The tongue 46 is adapted to be received in the elongated aperture 44 of the head plate 46. for positioning of the bracket 36 with respect to the plate 46. A pin 48 is integrally secured to the bracket 36 and engages an aperture in the head plate 46 for further positioning the bracket with respect to the head plate 46. A screw 56' extends. through the bracket 36 and is engaged in the head plate 46 for fixedly securing the bracket to the sewing machine l4. 7

The arm 42 of the bracket 36 has an offse portion extending perpendicularly therefrom at 52.

At the outer end of the arm 42, a spindle. 54 isrotatably supported on the pin 56 which is re-.. tained on the bracket 36 by means of the. nut 58 A washer 60 is disposed between the nut 58 and the arm 42 of the bracket 36 and a similar bushing is disposed on the opposite base of the bracket 36 for hearing engagement with the disk 62 of the spindle '54.

The spindle 54 is comprised of a pair of disks 62 and 64 with a cylindrical portion 66 joining the disks. The cylindrical portion 66 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending serrations 68 for frictional engagement with the tape 28 for moving therewith.

The guide means for the tape 28 is comprised of an elongated rod 10 which has a loop portion 12 engaged over the pin 56 and fixedly secured to the bracket 36 by means of the nut 58. The rod 16 has an outwardly extending portion 14 terminating in a loop 16 while the opposite end portion 18 of the rod 10 terminates in a loop which is disposed below the spindle 54. It will thus be seen that the tape 28 will pass from the supply 12 to the first loop 16 of the guide means 10, down through the second loop 80 and over the cylindrical portion 66 of the spindle 54, and then again through the second loop 80 and down to the work piece 82 on the needle plate of the sewing machine I4.

A resilient friction means 84 is provided for engagement with the tape 28 as it passes over the cylindrical portion 66 of the spindle 54 for tensioning the tape as it is fed to the work piece 82. The resilient friction means 84 is comprised of a flat strap having an arcuated portion 86 engaged over the cylindrical portion 66 of the spindle 54 with a flattened portion 88 extending therefrom for attachment to the oiiset portion 52 of the bracket 36. A screw 96 is employed for securing the fiat strap 88 to the ofiset portion 52 of the bracket 36. The means for adjusting the frictional engagement between the arcuated portion 86 and the cylindrical portion 66 of the spindle 54 is comprised of adjusting screw 92 and the wing nut 94 threaded thereon. The adjusting screw 92 is threaded through a threaded aperture in the ofiset portion 52 of the bracket 36 and has its terminal portion 96 engageable with an intermediate portion of the flat strap 88 for pivoting it downwardly with respect to the portion attached to the offset portion 52. The wing nut 94 is employed for locking the adjusting screw 92 in preselected position.

It will thus be seen that the tape 28 will be guided for engagement over the cylindrical portion 66 of the spindle 54 with a loop portion 29 of the tape passing under the resilient friction means 84 for engagement thereby. By adjusting the screw 92, the resistance to rotation of the spindle 54 can be controlled whereby the tensioning of the tape portion 3| to the work piece 82 can be preselected.

Of course, one skilled in the art will readily understand that in taping work pieces 82 of various types, the tensioning of the tape 23 must be varied to suit the requirements for the particular material to which the tape is to be sewed.

In view of the foregoing, it is therefore believed that an attachment has been provided for sewing machines that will accomplish all of the objects hereinabove set forth.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A tape guiding and tensioning device for attachment to the head of a sewing machine comprising a bracket including an arm, means attaching said bracket to said head with the arm invention, what is 4 laterally from said arm, a spindle rotatable on said pin and including a pair of spaced disks and over which the tape is adapted to be trained between said disks, tape supplying means for feeding the tape to said spindle, tape guiding means for guiding the tape to and from said spindle including an elongated rod resting on the pin and extending laterally thereof and secured to said arm and having a pair of terminal tape guiding loops one behind said spindle and the other beneath said spindle, and means for tensioning the tape against the spindle carried by said arm.

extending forwardly of said head, a pin extending 2. v A tape guiding and tensioning device according to claim 1, said loops lying in planes at substantially right angles to each other.

3. A tape guiding and tensioning device for attachment to a head of a sewing machine comprising a bracket including an arm, means attaching said bracket to said head with the arm extending forwardly of said head, a pin extending laterally from said arm, a spindle rotatable on said pin and including a pair of spaced disks and over which the tape is adapted to be trained between said disks, tape supplying means for feeding the tape to said spindle, tape guiding means for guiding the tape to and from the spin-' dle including an elongated rod carried by said arm and having a pair of terminal tape guiding loops one behind said spindle and the other heneath said spindle, and means for tensioning the tape against the spindle, carried by said arm, said rod having an intermediate loop engaging over said pin and attached to said arm and suspending said tape guiding means coplanar with said spindle.

RUDOLF H. ECKARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kucera May 6, 1941 

